Woman who cut off husband’s penis with kitchen knife recalls moment she realised what she’d done

Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.

Lorena Bobbitt, the woman who infamously cut off her ex-husband's penis, has shared the exact moment everything dawned on her.

Lorena, who immigrated to the United States from Ecuador, married former U.S. Marine John Wayne Bobbitt in 1989.

In 1993, Lorena, who now uses her maiden name of Gallo, left the bed she was sharing with her husband and went downstairs for a glass of water, and picked up an eight-inch Ginsu carving knife.

Upon returning to the bedroom, she removed the bedsheets from John's body and cut off his penis.

Lorena has stated that she was the victim of physical abuse and rape at the hands of John throughout their marriage.

The story is being retold in a brand new ITV documentary, I Cut off His Penis: The Truth Behind The Headlines, which airs tonight at 9pm.

Lorena Gallo (nee Bobbitt) (ITV)

Viewers will learn that when the reality of the act sunk in to Lorena, she drove away in her car, holding onto the severed penis.

Difficulty steering due to holding onto the body part caused her to throw it out of her car window and into a field.

Lorena, who was 24 years old at the time, then called 911 to report her crime and where she had launched John's penis.

Incredibly, it was found, placed into saline ice, and reattached to John's body in a nine-and-a-half hour operation.

He has since stated that his penis is 'back to normal,' going on to star in two pornographic films following the surgery.

Lorena was acquitted of assault by reason of insanity, and John was eventually acquitted of marital sexual assault.

Lorena was acquitted of assault (Jeffrey Markowitz/Sygma via Getty Images)

The pair divorced in 1995, after six years of marriage.

Lorena went on to begin Lorena’s Red Wagon, a non-profit organisation that aims to come to the aid of victims of domestic violence.

In an appearance on The Steve Harvey show, she reflected on her decision.

She said: “I found myself in the street with a penis in one hand and the knife in the other.

“So yeah, that happens … I’m here to tell you and to tell everyone what happens when a woman gets abused by a man."

In 2020, Lorena said in an interview with Oprah Daily: "My life is not a joke. This is reality."

She continued: "Most individuals don't know what my case was about—which is abuse and domestic violence. I wish people understood that I was a victim of sexual assault by my ex-husband."

I Cut Off His Penis: The Truth Behind The Headlines airs tonight on ITV1 at 9pm.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.